DEATH OF SIR F.SARGOOD

AUCKLAND, January 2. ■Sir Frederick Sargood, of Victoria, head of- tho well-known fun. of Sargood, Son, and Ewcn, die.d. suddenly at Taihape this morning. He was at the time of hie death on i holiday tour in New Zealand, acconipoinied by Lady Sargood and a son, Mr P. ,R. Sargood. ; WELLINGTON, January 4. Sir F. Sargood's death resulted from syncope, brought on, it is supposed, by the rough coacli journey from Mowhango to Taihape. When ho retired on Thursday night .he was in his usual> health, Early next, morning Lady Sargood was aroused by her husband breathing heavily. He was then in a state of collapse and unable, to spoalc. After gasping for a few seconds he expired. The body wns brought down to Wollinc-ton. arriving at mid-day on Saturday. It has been embalmed, nnd will bo sent over to Sydnoy by Hie Warritnoo next Triday. .Sir Frederick leaves a large family to mourn their loss. His eldest son, Mr I'rederiek Sargood, is in charge of the Sydney branch; Mr Percy R. Sargood is in charge of tho Auckland business; Mr A. Herbert Sargooil is connected with, the Melbourne house; Mr William Sargnod is in charge of the Dunedin branch; and Mr Harry Sargood is on the Eiverina station. ' IFiiou Obr Own Correspondent.) ; ■ i WELLINGTON, January 5. The sudden death at Taihape of Sir Frederick Sargood wae due to heart failure. When he arrived at Taihape with Lady Sargood and party from Moawhango on Thursday Sir Frederick Sargood appeared to be in excellent health, hut early on Friday morning he was found to be seriously ill, and died a few minutes afterwards. Owing ■to the bad state of the roads considerable difficulty was experienced in bringing the lemaine from Taihape to Mangaweka, which 'is the .nearest railway Btation, and the mourners did not. reach there until nearly 2 o'clock on Saturday morning. Thence the body was brought by special train to Wellington, arriving hero on Saturday afternoon, and will be cent to Melbourne by the Warrimoo for interment next Friday. Lady Sargood, the Misses Sargood, and Mr P. Sargood, who were accompanying the deceased, will go over to Australia by the eamo steamer. Iu the course of his sermon at St. Peter's yesterday the Rev. W. C. Waters made feeling reference to the sad bereavement sustained by Lady Sargood in the Ices of her husband. The death of .Sir Frederick was particularly sad at such a timo when he and his family were enjoying u. holiday. The preacher felt sure that nil would tender the heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved family. At tho conclusion of the eerrice the organist (Dr Fyffe) played an impressive funeral march. : WELLINGTON, January 8.

The body of the late Sir Frederick Sargood, which has been lying in Wellington since it was brought down from TJaihape last Saturday/will be taken across to Sydney by the Warrimoo to-morrow. Mr F. G. Sargood, the eldest son of-the deceased gentleman, arrived from Sydney by the Waikare last nijrht, and will return with the body. Lady Sargood and the members of the family who were with Sir Frederick when he died will- also be patsengers by the Warrimoo.

Lieutenant-colonel the Hon. Sir Frederick Thomas Sargood, K.C.M.G., M.L.C., exMinister of Defence and Education, Victoria,, was a soli of the late Frederick Jamee Sargood. M.L.A. He was born at "\Yalyorth.. London, on Mny 30. 1831, and arrived in' Victoria, then Port Phillip, in February, 1650. He was for a 6hort time in the public service in the office of Publio Works, and then joined his father in the business of warehouseman. He entered tho Volunteer force in 1859, and became in due course lieutenant-colonel in the Defence force. Hβ was elected a member of the Legislative Council in 1874-. Im the following year he was elected a member of the Melbourne' Harbour Trust; and during a visit to England in 1880 was appointed as special deleRate to represent the colony before the Imperial Commission for tie protection of British possessions abroad. He returned to Victoria in 1882. and.: in November, 1883, joined the Service-Berry Government as Minister of Defence, in which capacity ho planned and carried out the reorganisation of the Defence forces, naval and military, including the employment of Imperial officer... Hn was nko Minister of Water Supply until February, 1886, when he retired on the Ministry being merged in that of Mr Gillies. Ho was appointed Executive Vice-president of the Melbourne Centennial Exhibition of 1888, and became President on the retirement of Justice Higinbotham. Ho was created C.M.G. in 1884 amd K.O.M.G. in l£9o. Sir Frederick married first, in 1858, Marian • Australian, only daughter of the Hon. ,G. Rolfe, M.L.C.; and. secondly, in 1860, Julio, second daughter of James Tomlin, of London. He accepted office as Minister of Defence and Education in the .Miinro Ministry in Novcmbe-, 1890, but resinned office a year later rather than assent to the " one-man-one-voto" principle of election. . Ultimately he withdrew his resignation on the measure being dropped, but finally retired on the Mimstrv being reconstructed in February, 1892, under Mr Shiels, who announced his adhesion to the "cme-man-one-vote" principle. Sir F.' Sargood was elected a member of the Federal Senate, and was regarded ao the leader of the Freetrade party in that Chamber. It will be remembered that he offered each school in the Commonwealth a flag, to be hoietcd as eobn as the message was flashed throughout the States that the Federal Parliament, had been declared open by the Duke of CornWall and York, the signal beine givcoi by the Duchess, now Princess of Wales. For the past 18 months his family have known that his heart was affected, and he has had warnings that hi* condition of health from this cause might at any time become serious. Apparently, however, he lias of late been in the best of health. Sir , Frederick Sargnou was married twice, first in 1859 to ibe daughter of Mr George Kolfe, M.L.C., and again in 1881 to the daughter of Mr J. Tomlin. of London, the present Lady Sargood. His family consisted of five, sons and five daughters. Four of the- daughters are married—viz., Mrs Webster (N"w Zealand), Mrs Rutter Clarke (Adelaide). Mrs Dr Hornabrookc (Adelaide), and Mrs Leslie Jenner (Macarthurl. The remaining daughter is Miss Sargood. who had accompanied Sir Frederick and Lady Sarpood to New Zealand. Of the sons Mr F. O. Sargood is in charge of the- business in Sydney; Mr P, R. Sareood is in charge in New Zenland; Mr W. E. Sargood is manager of the Dnnedin branch, and Mr A. H. Sarpood of the Melbourne business; while Mr H. M. Sargood is connected with squatting pursuits at Macarthur.